Presently, various retail chains and others are implementing the use of RFID tags in many ways. However, there are large numbers of packaged goods that are not yet tagged with RFID tags. Furthermore, new types of packaged goods are designed all the time. At present there is no automated process for determining the optimal tag type or tag placement for those packaged goods. Because there is a great deal of variability in the radio frequency (RF) properties of packaged goods, and because at present, packages are not designed with RF properties in mind, this has created a pressing need for RFID tag placement systems and methods.
Currently, determining the optimal location to place a particular type of RFID tag is done manually, in the far-field of the packed good, by placing a tag or several tags at various locations on the surface of the packaged good. A human measures the read range of the tag in free space for that particular tag placement or measures a read count at a fixed read range. If multiple tag types are considered for use on a particular packaged good, each tag type is applied to the packaged good. Given the proliferation of different tag types, this makes the current practice even more time consuming and inefficient. This process is slow, costly, and prone to inaccuracy or human prejudice.
Furthermore, no widely accepted formal method has been described for designing new types of packaging, or variations of existing packaging, that are specifically designed for use with RFID tags.